Buffalo Bills News - November 14, 2003

Home cooking [12:43 PM]The Sports Network reports:
'"We played last year and there were many times when our offense had to bail our defense out," Williams said. "We'd give up 29 [points] and have to score 30 to win a ball game. Our defense is playing really solid right now. The special teams are playing really solid. Those two phases need to bail out the offense a little bit until they get kick-started again. We're really only one or two plays away from getting it rolling."'

Kelly was close to being a Raider [12:42 PM]Naples Daily News reports:
'"I could have played for the Raiders in a heartbeat. We tried to work out a trade with the Steelers and the Raiders both, but Ralph Wilson, our owner, would not trade me. He said if he did he'd have to leave the city."'

Kelly now quarterbacking for cure of son's disease [12:41 PM]Naples Daily News reports:
'"What this is all about is hope because it is the hope through my son that we will make a difference," Kelly said. "And already since we started the foundation the awareness has grown almost six figures. We see people in airports and they ask how Hunter is doing first before asking what's wrong with the Buffalo Bills.'

Tasker Flattered By Semi-Finalist Selection [12:40 PM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'"I think it’s great," Tasker said. "I didn’t expect it. It’s certainly flattering, no question about it. It never ceases to amaze me that people remember when I played the further it gets into the history books. I’m flattered even more so that people still remember that I actually played and sometimes played pretty well."'

Posey eager to face ex-mates [9:05 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'"Last year, I led the Texans in sacks, so that's something I became known for," Posey said. "I came here looking to improve on that and become even better at rushing the passer."'

McGee adds depth to cornerback corps [9:04 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'The Bills haven't indicated whether the switch to McGee is permanent, but it is a sign of how much the fourth-round draft pick out of Northwestern State has developed this season.'

Hall should make room for Tasker, Wilson [9:03 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'But I'd make Tasker wait another year if given the choice between him and Ralph Wilson, another semifinalist. We're talking 44 years with the Bills. That's almost as long as the Yankees have owned the Red Sox. Voters who balk when it comes to Wilson are overanalyzing the issue.'

Sick days cost big time [9:02 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'It's as if a mysterious disease sweeps through Buffalo government offices on a regular basis. Like last Dec. 2, for example, when 252 city workers - 7 percent of the city payroll - called in sick. There wasn't a flu bug going around that day. But it was a snowy Monday, a day after the Bills played the Miami Dolphins.'

Bills-Texans Game Sold Out [7:18 AM]buffalobills.com reports:
The Bills-Texans game this Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium is sold out and will be televised locally. A small number of tickets returned by the visiting team remain available for purchase.

Bills: Posey excited to face old team [5:15 AM]Rochester D & C reports:
'Posey has 2.5 sacks, 3 pressures, 39 tackles and 1 forced fumble, numbers that mirror the production of the man he replaced, Keith Newman. Buffalo, however, has leapt from 14th overall in yards to No. 3, from 29th against the run to 14th, and from 27th in points allowed to seventh.'

Texans' rookie stars eye 1,000 yards each [5:14 AM]Houston Chronicle reports:
'Opponents, such as Bills coach Gregg Williams, have noticed. "I see a really improved Texans team. I really do," Williams said during a conference call this week. "They've got a strong receiving corps. Domanick Davis has put a spark in their run game."'

November 13, 2003

LB Posey happy with switch to Bills [7:52 PM]AP reports:
''I'm not a trash-talker,'' Posey said. ''I'm just going to go out there and play my game. And I'm going to have some fun.'''

No place like home for Bills to start playoff run [6:48 PM]AP reports:
'The Bills could certainly serve as a case study of a schizophrenic team that, going back to last season, is 7-2 and outscoring opponents by an average 31-16 at home, and 1-8 and being outscored 20-12 on the road.'

Bills look to bounce back at home against Texans [6:46 PM]The Sports Network reports:
'"I'm sure the Texans will look at both what the Chiefs and the Cowboys did against our offense and what they had success with," Bledsoe said. "I'm sure that they'll use some of those same concepts and same types of schemes. It's up to us to address the problems that we've had offensively and get those things fixed. Otherwise, we are going to continue to see the same things."'

Edwards Has Shoulder Surgery, While Moulds Rests [10:26 AM]WGR-AM reports:
'Gregg Williams finally admitted that the DT had a torn rotator cuff. Edwards has been placed on injured reserve opening up a roster spot. Jonas Jennings is questionable with a sore hip flexor. He did practice on Wednesday. Eric Moulds was given the day off.'

Drew's blues [8:58 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'Besides his eight interceptions, Bledsoe has lost six fumbles. This season, Bledsoe has thrown red-zone interceptions in Miami, Kansas City and at the New York Jets. Last season, end zone interceptions in Green Bay and New England late in the year were killers. Against Dallas, he fumbled on a sack at the Bills' 24, which led to the deciding touchdown, and he fumbled on a sack at the Dallas 25.'

Donahoe's drafts contain more hits than misses [8:56 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'Q: With 2:07 left in the Dallas game and the clock running, we did not take a timeout. So the clock stops at 2:00, Dallas runs a play, we take a timeout and they run their next play with 1:53 left. If you take the timeout at 2:07, the second play goes at 2:00. What am I missing? This obvious strategy is missed by 80 percent of coaches. Furthermore, if you have multiple timeouts remaining, use them all before the 2:00 warning. - Ray Orrange, Tonawanda A: Good point. . . . What are you doing between 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday?'

Tasker, Wilson a step closer to hall [8:55 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'The 15 finalists will be announced in mid-January, with the new class elected Jan. 31, the day before the Super Bowl in Houston.'

Bills' foes succeed in putting on the blitz [5:15 AM]Rochester D & C reports:
'Much of the offensive ineptitude has been due to Buffalo’s inability to cope with blitzes. The line is getting overpowered by the extra pass rushers, the receivers are not winning their one-on-one battles and giving Bledsoe someone to throw to, and Bledsoe has either held the ball too long or thrown it inaccurately.'

Jaguars quickly snag WR Johnson [5:14 AM]Rochester D & C reports:
'Shaw, who was signed as a free agent to help ease the loss of Peerless Price to Atlanta, has been even more disappointing with just four catches for 22 yards (5.5) with a long of seven. The Bills failed to score a touchdown against the Chiefs or Cowboys, and quarterback Drew Bledsoe perished against all-out blitz tactics with his receivers blanketed at the line.'

Answers, like TDs, hard to come by as Bills keep losing [5:13 AM]Toronto Star reports:
'The immobile quarterback has had difficulty releasing the ball when under pressure — he's been sacked a conference-leading 26 times — and is ranked 11th in the American conference with a 74.4 quarterback rating.'

Thinning out [5:12 AM]Houston Chronicle reports:
'The Texans have an AFC-low eight sacks, with only two coming from an outside linebacker.'

16-year NFL veteran takes being a role model seriously [5:11 AM]Shelby Star reports:
'In addition to his four AFC Championship rings in his 10 years in Buffalo, Metzelaars was also part of the biggest playoff comeback in league history. The Bills trailed 35-3 in the third quarter before rallying to a 41-38 overtime win over Houston. It’s a day that ranks as his most memorable as a professional. “It was from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs,” Metzelaars said. “We were resilient, persistent and we just kept playing.”'

Bills Lose DT Edwards For Season [12:30 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
"He was playing pretty strong earlier in the year," said Williams. "The injury has been going on for a month. We just made the decision to go in and have (surgery) done."

November 12, 2003

Blitz baffling Bledsoe, Bills [8:01 PM]AP reports:
'During that span, Bledsoe has been sacked 24 times once for every 10 dropbacks for 185 yards. And in four of those games, all losses, he's failed to complete a pass longer than 21 yards.'

Bills Glad To Be Home [8:00 PM]RNews.com reports:
'"We have to get something going," tight end Mark Campbell explained. "At what point in time do you say enough is enough and say let's go?"'

Bills Coach Gregg Williams Previews Houston [7:59 PM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'"We're back at home. We're still in the mix. Every game is the most important game. This week becomes the most important game that we have. We have a lot of areas on our football team that are playing really strong. We just have to get a couple of the other (weaker) ones fixed and we'll be right back in the mix again."'